FRANCE-RUSSIA-DEFENCE-ECONOMY

The Mistral-class assault warship Sevastopol, the second of two mammoth Mistral helicopter carriers, is docked on November 21, 2014 in the western French port of Saint-Nazaire after being taken overnight from its dry dock. The first ship, the Vladivostok (R), was supposed to be delivered to Russia on November 15, 2014 according to the original deal signed in 2011 and worth 1.2 billion euros ($1.5 billion) for both vessels. Paris was due to hand over the first Mistral-class helicopter carrier in October, but as the Ukraine crisis has deepened into the worst East-West standoff since the Cold War, it has postponed delivery for fear of antagonizing its allies. France however faces huge penalties if it breaches the 1.2 billion euro ($1.5 billion) contract, and last week Russia warned of serious consequences if the first ship did not arrive by the end of November. AFP PHOTO / GEORGES GOBET (Photo credit should read GEORGES GOBET/AFP via Getty Images)